Arsenal: Olivier Giroud’s Prime Having Identity Crisis

Arsenal keeps uncovering new and improved versions of Olivier Giroud and with his latest feat, we have to wonder how long his prime is going to hang around.

Arsenal yet again watched as Olivier Giroud put home another goal, making it five goals in his last five games. It also meant that he has scored in every single game he has started this year and he has scored eleven goals in his last nine starts. No big deal. You know what they say, “if you start him, he will score.”

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And even if you don’t, he will still find a way to score as a sub.

I know what you’re wondering, and the answer is yes, I do feel tremendous satisfaction from defending the big man staunchly over all these years. But putting my own personal prerogative aside, I have to say that it is pretty remarkable how Giroud’s prime doesn’t seem to be hitting and staying. It’s hitting and improving.

Giroud is contributing to a Premier League goal ever 50 minutes. Yes, you read that correctly. His flick-ons are finally converting into assists (called it) and at 30 years old, Giroud has never looked better.

That new contract that goes through 2020 is starting to look delicious. He may become the new ageless wonder.

They say the prime for a striker is between 26-29, give or take. Which means that by the timeyou hit 30, you should be on the decline. Giroud’s prime didn’t get that memo. Giroud’s prime is starting to look like it’s still a work in progress, meaning that the ceiling could be much higher than we could have ever expected.

I was wary at first, to jump off the deep end in yet another praise-ridden piece about Giroud, mainly because he had a fantastic stretch last year before going on a massive drought.

But this year is different, for one big reason – there is a method to keep him going and a method to survive without him. Even improve without him.

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With all of these striking options, a Giroud drought (as unlikely as that seems) would just mean a rotation. It wouldn’t mean a desperation move, giving Theo Walcott the keys to the striker mint. It would mean giving Alexis or Welbeck their go at the front line.

And that, in turn, forces Giroud to get better. Which it turns out is perhaps his favorite thing to do.

I don’t think enough can be said about Giroud and his ability to learn. He doesn’t just accept his fate and weather the storm, he is consistently trying harder, growing stronger and innovating in an attempt to maximize the undoubted talent he has.

When you’re that big and that strong at a forward role, you have an advantage, and Giroud is truly grasping that advantage. So much so that he has supplanted Alexis at the striker role, something that has nothing to do with bias or favoritism. It has everything to do with just pure, unbridled merit.

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It’s a matter of numbers. Alexis contributed to 23 goals in 20 appearances at forward. That is a fantastic total and we are blessed to have him. But Giroud has him beat, plus he is the flavor of the week. And until Giroud falters, there is no reason to go back on what’s working.